Catch Report - Week 12 - Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Still a mega rod average had by you guys over the past week! Where the fishing took only a slight dip for a day or so in the extreme heat of the week before this last week its certainly recovered well

Fish still remained high in the water and now dries is pretty much the go to method for most from the off. Daddies, hoppers, cdc and all the other usual picks are good choices but it does pay well to have black or at least dark flies on your cast it seems.

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Catch Report - Week 11 - Fly Fishing Feature – Ladybower Fisheries

“Yesterday at Ladybower was one for the books!

I started the day with a first-timer on the boat, and we tried everything—dries, washing lines, and even the bung. Midway through, I was 11 fish behind—Mark Buchan had raced ahead! But then we got a tip from Neil Davitt, who was up the Derwent arm, saying dries were on fire (thanks Neil) I clawed my way back, and we ended with a thrilling 20 to 19—39 fish to the boat! I had a battle with a Lump of a fish near the cages that gave me a runaround before I landed it. We finished casting to rising fish by the boat pontoon and Mark’s last cast got his 20th. An epic day—can’t wait to get back out there!

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Catch Report - Week 10 - Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

The fishing just seems to be getting better and better at the moment with an incredible days sport to be had from the boats right now.

It is very weather dependant though, fish are often feeding in the spells of better weather and dodging the cold starts of late. That said, they continue to stay high in the water. A very similar story to last week where its better to go out fishing just sub surface with a washing line or pulling a glass line in the morning and then switching up to a full floater as the day warms up>

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Catch Report - Week 9 - Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Although the weather is still a bit chilly in the mornings, the afternoons in general have warmed up nicely and the fish certainly respond to this. It's often a bit of a sluggish start with fish holding 2-3ft down in the morning but as the afternoon warms they are kean to stick their noses up and often take right on the surface.

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Catch Report - Week 8 - Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Well, Ladybower is back at its very best with consistent top of the water sport being had! An outstanding rod average of over 8 is simply incredible numbers

Mornings are still taking a while to warm up as the fish sit a little deeper then around lunchtime and into the afternoon they are straight up having on or just under the surface.

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Catch Report - Week 7 - Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

The Bower is currently in top form! 134 returns were submitted last week for a total of 1114 fish caught, staggering numbers!

Not that we needed to but we also stocked another 900 fish on Friday!

With the reservoir fishing so well you can pretty much pick fish up from most areas now. Also, this week we have had numerous reports that Rasberry bay has switched on finally fish in general have been tight to the banks up there.

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Catch Report - Week 6 - Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

BEETLE BONANZA

The highlight of this week has, without doubt, been the epic fall of Heather beetle we have seen on the water, starting Tuesday afternoon and carrying on through the warmer spells in the week!

It's an incredible sight to see with large pods of fish feeding heavily together on them around the edges of the reservoir, where the beetles have been blown of the surrounding fields.

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Catch Report - Week 5 - Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

What a difference a week makes! Mostly calm, mild days, well greeted by us all! The fish have certainly switched on to it as well. Flat calm mornings have seen fish rising all across the basin taking buzzers hatching off first thing.

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Catch Report - Week 4 - Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

When conditions allowed a few boats did make their way out and found fish in the usual early season hot-spots. Tactics have had to be adopted to the situation on the day, with the higher winds, a fast glass and di3 have been useful from the boats. Bright snakes, damsel patterns, cats and black and green all popular choices still.

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Catch Report - Week 3 - Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Following on from a difficult week with non-committal conditions affecting catches, things turned around massively with anglers experiencing a much better return for their efforts. Fish still remain close to the margins, although a few are being picked up further out.

Tactics from the boats seemed to vary with intermediate and sink tip lines although fish were taken on suspender buzzers and even dries on occasion.

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Catch Report - Week 2 - Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Tactics for this time of year remained straightforward, although locating fish was particularly tricky. Fast glass and Di3 lines with larger patterns such as tadpoles, snakes, damsels, and Cat’s Whiskers continued to perform well. The bung also featured prominently, with success dependent on maintaining the correct depth; 3–6 feet proved an effective starting point.

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Catch Report - Week 1 - Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Firstly, we'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone that has visited Ladybower this week! It's been amazing to welcome to all back at the reservoir and the comments from you guys about the quality of fishing to be had at the moment makes all the hard work through those dreadful winter months all worthwhile.

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Opening Weekend Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Well what a start! A gloomy morning greeted us on Saturday but the mood around the car park and jetty certainly didn't match the weather. Anglers started arriving early, full of anticipation and excitement for the new season ahead, spirits were high and it was certainly great to greet all you guys back on to our fantastic water - up the Bower

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Week 37 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

This week has been all about the big fish! We are now getting water back in to the reservoir each day, that paired with the cooler water temperature seems to have stirred up the lumps for sure!

Monday saw the first double landed from the bank this week with the 12lb rainbow taking a liking to a squirmy worm fishing under the indicator.

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Week 36 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

A quieter week with regards to angler numbers, maybe the unsettled weather putting a few off from venturing out on the boats. We will be reducing the number of boats available shortly as we slowly bring them in for servicing through the winter. Make the most of them while they're still available!

Those that did fancy a go still had plenty of action. The bank still fishing really well along the roadside of the main basin all the way down from the viaduct to the old road.

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Week 35 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Weather wise the week started off as per the previous week with nice calm days, fish rising as far as you could see and the buzzer hatches remained consistent. Then towards the back end of the week we were soon reminded it is the end of October and had showers paired up with relatively high winds. That said, Ladybower is looking pretty special right now in its autumnal colours.

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Week 34 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Flat calm conditions for most of the week has seen excellent top of the water sport! Last week, most mornings, we have had really good buzzers hatches and fish are certainly switched on to them, free rising across the whole reservoir!

It's also evident the the fish are coming really close in to the banks. Bank anglers are enjoying sport just as much as the boats now and consistent sport can be found all down the road side bank of the main basin or pickles and grainfoot should you choose to venture up the Derwent arm.

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Week 33 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

With October now well and truly upon us, the water temperature at the magical 14 degrees and black buzzer hatches coming off daily, this week has seen Ladybower hit back to its impressive form.

Not that the reservoir needed it but the introduction of 1,200 rainbows on Wednesday certainly stirred up the residents and top of the water sport has once again been incredible.

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Week 32 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Nearly a week without rain! Last week was about as settled as we could hope for heading into October, with mild, calm days right through until Friday. Then Friday arrived with a bang — high winds and heavy rain put an end to boat fishing over the weekend.

That said, the early part of the week fished really well. Flat, calm conditions and unseasonably warm temperatures brought some great hatches, and the trout responded in kind. Greenfly and small black buzzers were the dominant hatches, with fish rising freely to them!

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Week 31 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

We were glad to see a more settled spell of weather last week, with water levels starting to drop slightly again — which really helps the fishing!

Temperatures have now held steady at a constant 14°C, ideal for this time of year, and the clarity is improving day by day. The pH has also levelled off and, towards the back end of the week, we began to see small buzzers coming off — something we hadn’t seen the previous week.

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Week 30 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Wet, wet, wet! Most days saw heavy downpours, which resulted in the water levels rising almost immediately. By the time the weekend arrived, we had seen at least 8ft of water back in the reservoir.

This fresh water, as anticipated, was much cooler, had a low pH (acidic), and brought with it some colour.

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Week 29 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

September has well and truly arrived this week with a mixture of weather. The week started off settled and turned to more rain towards the back end. The water level has been the main topic of conversation throughout the season. We can now say we have maintained the same level for a good period and, in fact, have seen some fresh water introduced into the reservoir of late.

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Week 28 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Rain, rain and a bit more rain was the story last week! Although by the back end of the week it gradually turned out nice, with the weekend especially being pleasant.

The rain certainly seemed to freshen things up as it breaks up the water’s surface and increases the oxygen levels in the water. We noticed that as it was raining it seemed to put the fish off feeding right on the surface — understandably! But as it stopped raining and the weather turned nice afterwards, the trout were right back on the surface and in abundance

With that said, it’s understandable that dry fly has still been the main choice of tactics. Hoppers, sedges, shuttlecocks, Shipman’s and the ever-popular foam daddy all remain consistent.

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Week 27 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Last week saw more favourable weather conditions, with gentle breezes and mild days. That said, we do now have cooler weather on the horizon which will only improve the fishing even further! Not that it's needed it!

Dry fly sport has remained fantastic with anglers rarely needing to fish other methods. Black, orange and tan foam bodied Daddies have been the favourite choices. Selecting the size of your dries has been important with size 12's being a good starting size. Then dropping down in size in calm conditions or up a size with a decent ripple.

Productive sreas have been widespread, and we often find ourselves saying it, but it's true, there are fish everywhere! To pin down some consistent locations - Rasberry Bay, Ashopton Viaduct and the deep bank across the back of the cages have seen really good numbers.

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Week 26 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Fishing has continued to be good at Ladybower, a result of our cool deep water giving refuge to trout from the warmer surface layers. Having this availability of colder areas gives the trout their second wind and has them feeding positively right up to the surface so dry fly action remains excellent although other methods will still catch should you wish to employ them. As a result, catch returns have remained fairly consistent this week aided by the stocking of fish earlier on. Wind speeds have once again been fairly low, although variable in direction, with most days starting as a millpond developing a gentle ripple towards lunch and then a little stronger most afternoons although one or two isolated gusts have made the drogue a good deployment..

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Week 25 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

The changeable weather’s caused the fish to become a little reluctant to feed positively this week with days alternating between sunshine and cloud/rain. Wind speeds have been largely benign although one or two gusts have made drifting difficult at times.

Despite the conditions the rod average has remained respectable at 3.8 with a number of fish still falling to dry flies in open water, Daddies featuring large on the catch reports. We’ve also seen fish being picked up much deeper (8 - 15ft) to snakes and boobies although interestingly not much in between.

Floating lines remain the top choice, with washing lines as well as 12ft tips, Fast Glass and booby basher lines appearing strongly on catch cards.

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Week 24 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Top of water fishing remains consistently good with water temperatures 15°C at thirty five feet. With our max depth of 120ft we are increasingly confident this surface feeding activity will continue into the summer.

Ladybower is quite unique amongst UK reservoirs due to the conditions mentioned above.

Ever increasing numbers of anglers are booking boats although those that prefer the bank, float tube and kayak continue to enjoy high rod averages. Similar to last week weather fluctuations from sunny through to high winds and pretty heavy rain have made fishing a little unpredictable although the rainbows, as mentioned above, are in the upper reaches of the water maintaining excellent fishing.

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Week 23 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Top of water fishing is consistently good , with water temperatures still only 15* at thirty five feet, with our max depth of 120ft we are confident this excellent surface feeding activity will continue into the summer.

We’re very pleased to offer first class top-of-the-water sport even in these warmer days. Ladybower is quite unique amongst UK reservoirs due to the conditions mentioned above.

Large numbers of anglers are booking boats and those that prefer the bank continue to enjoy high rod averages. Once again we’d like to thank all those who filled in their catch returns, helping us judge the correct number of fish to stock, where and when. This week gone has, similar to Week 22, seen weather fluctuations from sunny through to high winds and pretty heavy rain making fishing a little unpredictable although the fish as mentioned above remain in the upper reaches of the water maintaining excellent fishing.

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Week 22 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

Once again, we’re experiencing large numbers of anglers in boats and on the bank alike, from hardened veterans through to absolute beginners. We would like to thank all those who filled in their catch returns, a percentage that increases weekly, helping us judge the correct amount of fish to stock and when. This week gone has seen some weather fluctuations from fairly bright through to pretty heavy rain, often in a single day, making fishing a little unpredictable although the fish remain in the upper reaches of the water which thankfully has seen a stalwart increase in rod average over previous weeks. Boats have had the advantage over bank anglers again as the margins warm somewhat although we are now seeing some of the deeper drop offs well within casting distance giving a more optimistic outlook for those preferring to remain ashore. Foam Detached Body Daddies as well as a plethora of other large bushy dry flies appear in catch reports as the most popular choice of our anglers and remain the best fish takers.

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Week 21 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries

After an incredibly busy weekend Monday started off warm and sunny again with a fair number of boats out and this number steadily increased to capacity throughout the week. The change to cooler, more cloudy conditions had the fish in the upper reaches of the water giving a steady catch return very similar to last week. Boats have once again had the advantage over bank anglers with fish still seeking cooler water giving a still respectable rod average of 4.7. CDCs, popper hoppers, the inevitable Foam Detached Body Daddies as well as a plethora of standard lures appear regularly in our catch reports and as we move towards what will hopefully be a restrained summer period we expect this to continue.

Discover premium fishing tackle and equipment at SKB Fishing Gear. Shop quality rods, reels, flies, and accessories for all anglers visit: https://skbfish.co.uk/